RHAM Girls Riding 8-Game Winning Streak

The first time the RHAM girls basketball team played Tolland, the Sachems were coming off a New Year's break with no practices and no games.

They weren't really in sync and lost to the Eagles, 50-41, on Jan. 2.

"If you could have put everybody's worst game in one game, that was it," RHAM coach Tim Guernsey said. "We didn't play well. We didn't handle their pressure well. We turned the ball over a lot."

Tuesday, RHAM won its eighth game in a row, beating Tolland 61-51. Junior Sarah Veilleux had 31 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Sachems, 12-2 and 10th in the Courant's area rankings. Tolland (13-3) is ranked eighth.

RHAM lost to Tolland and E.O. Smith in that first week of January. The Sachems host No.6 E.O. Smith Friday.

The last time the two played, RHAM was leading E.O. Smith going into the fourth quarter but the Panthers, who have shot 130 three-pointers this season, scored 33 points in the final quarter to win 80-74. Guernsey has never beaten the Panthers in basketball.

"We need to defend a little better," he said. "We have two days to prep."

Somers' Slow Start

Somers coach Alan Walker said his team was a little "slow out of the blocks" early in the season, losing three of its first five games. His best player, Diandra DaRosa, had to have stitches in her head and missed the Spartans' game against Ellington on Dec. 11, which Somers lost 62-48. They lost to Granby, 46-38, and then to East Granby, 59-56.

"[The East Granby loss] was probably our worst game of the year," Walker said. "It was right around Christmas. We hadn't had good practices. We played fine offensively but went through the motions defensively and East Granby had kids who hit shots. We were still trying to get our act together."

Somers did just that and has now won 11 in a row, beating Stafford Wednesday night 57-19 to go 13-3 this season. But the stretch of the final four regular season games will not be easy: the Spartans will play Avon and Bolton, who are tied for first place in the NCCC, as well as East Windsor and Coventry, which are both 10-5.

"We've been playing well for the last couple weeks," Walker said. "It's a good test for us going into post-season play. We've been on a good streak."

"She's stepped up her game [this year]," Walker said. "And our team has been more effective at working together with her."

Avon (14-2) has won nine straight and is up next Friday.

"The challenge in playing Avon is, are we going to be physical and not make mistakes?" Walker said. "You can get overwhelmed. But we've been much better at not giving up runs since the beginning of the season."

Short Takes

Corrine Williams hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds left to boost Bloomfield to its fourth win, 50-49, over Rockville Tuesday night. Williams, a 6-foot junior guard/forward, scored 29 points, going 13 for 15 from the free throw line. "Last year we played Ellington and she had a similar opportunity," coach Dan Matthews said. "It was our last game and it went double overtime. She missed them both, I believe. It was something that ate away at her." Bloomfield, which has many younger, inexperienced players, opened its season with seven losses. The Warhawks are 4-12. Williams, who can play any position, averages 16.5 points and seven rebounds. "Corrine's done a great job," Matthews said. "Her leadership is immeasurable, on a team that's really struggling. We graduated two seniors last year who were imperative to our success. It's been a little transition year for us." … On Monday, unbeaten Cromwell, No. 6 in the Courant's state rankings, faces Haddam-Killingworth, whose only loss is to Cromwell (52-30 on Dec. 11), in a key Shoreline Conference game.